Pictured: First Sales Advertisement for the Santa Fe Special Watch published in The Topeka State Journal, November 5, 1913. On November 5, 1913, the “Santa Fe Special” watch was introduced to the public by the Santa Fe Watch Company. The first sales advertisement for the new watch was published in The Topeka State Journal, officially launching the mail-order “offer” campaign that would become an enormous success. The company describes the Santa Fe Special watch in the half-page advertisement as “a masterpiece of watch manufacture, made 21 jewels, adjusted to the second, adjusted to temperature, adjusted to position, adjusted to isochronism.” List of advertised features of the original “Santa Fe Special” watches: Available in 16-Size (21 Jewels) and 0-Size (17 Jewels)Available in hunting and open face configurationsAdjusted to Temperature, Isochronism, and Position25-Year gold-filled case available with inlaid enamel or custom engravingFactory-cased and timedGuaranteed for life Customers could purchase the watch using a payment plan, starting with a low $3.50 payment. However, the advertisement does not indicate the total price of each watch. Modern advertising campaigns still echo campaigns like this despite being over 100 years old, using dependable sales techniques such as a risk-reversal guarantee, limiting purchasing options, and leveraging payment plans instead of requiring upfront payments. ... Continue Reading

by Nathan Moore, 18 hours ago

Pictured: Introduction of the Santa Fe Special Watch published in The Topeka State Journal, November 5, 1913. On November 5, 1913, the Santa Fe Watch Company officially introduced their new “Santa Fe Special” to the market following a week of clever teaser advertisements. The watch was immediately aimed toward workers on Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad, meeting time inspection requirements.  An article appears in The Topeka Daily State Journal lauding the features of the new watch: “Santa Fe SpecialAlonzo S. Thomas of the Santa Fe Watch CompanyDesigns Standard Watch, Introduced Today.Is a Beautiful WatchPasses Inspection of Santa Fe Time ServiceFirst Watch to Be Made Specially for Topeka Firm.The “Santa Fe Special,” a standard railroad watch, designed by the Santa Fe Watch Company and manufactured by the Illinois Watch Company is being introduced to the public today. For years, Mr... Continue Reading

by Nathan Moore, 1 day ago

Pictured: “Look Out For the Santa Fe” Advertisement [The Topeka State Journal, October 31, 1913] A week before the new “Santa Fe Special” watch was introduced, the Santa Fe Watch Company launched a mysterious teaser campaign to advertise the pending announcement. A series of small and inconspicuous ads were published in the Topeka newspapers, with clever teasers like “Look out for the Santa Fe Special - It’s just about due,” and “Everybody will take the Santa Fe Special.”  Interestingly, the advertisements were intentionally ambiguous to enhance the mystery surrounding the announcement. Even the company behind the promotion remained a mystery until the Santa Fe Special was introduced to the public. ... Continue Reading

by Nathan Moore, 2 days ago